The Dookudu star is all set to star in a Hindi thriller by Kuki Gulati

Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu, who just delivered a superhit in Dookudu, will be seen in a Bollywood film in 2012. Director Kuki Gulati of Prince fame has roped in the south Indian superstar for a thriller, reports a Mumbai tabloid. Incidentally, the title of Gulati’s directorial debut starring Vivek Oberoi is also Mahesh Babu’s nickname in the southern industry. Gulati and Mahesh apparently became friends while shooting for an ad film for a clothing brand the actor endorses. The director will begin working on the new film after he finishes promoting his Marathi film, Teecha Baap Tyacha Baap. Mahesh Babu is Bollywood actor Namrata Shirodkar’s husband and they have a son.

While Bollywood movies frequently make it to the US charts, it’s a rare feat for a Telugu film to do so

American cinemagoers are finding themselves staring at a poster of an Indian hero in a black shirt, holding a pair of sunglasses for a film with a strange title – Dookudu! For that’s the film that is slowly becoming a rage among Indian cinemagoers in the US. Dookudu reportedly garnered USD 82,000 in its first three days in one multiplex in Virginia. That is how much Brad Pitt’s Moneyball has garnered in three theatres in New York City and Hollywood during the same period. Dookudu’s distributor revealed that the Mahesh Babu-Samantha starrer has grossed USD 1.4 million across USA in its first three days. This despite the fact that since the film is in Telugu, a majority of non-resident Indians who hail from other parts of India, need subtitles to understand it. While Bollywood films usually earn a lot of revenue from the US, it is unusual for a Tollywood film to achieve this feat and actually be mentioned in mainstream American newspapers and magazines like LA Times and Variety. In fact, the only other Telugu film to earn this amount of revenue, did it over three months. Bollywood producers, watch out. You have stiff competition ahead.

The ‘Prince’ of Telugu cinema is as daring and dashing as ever in a film which has all the elements of a potboiler

‘Prince’ Mahesh Babu is synonymous with style. And his latest tryst with style is Dookudu. The record breaking screen numbers apart, Dookudu has succeeded in sustaining the style quotient so often associated with Mahesh Babu movies. Daring and dashing – That is what the movie’s posters screamed. Mahesh Babu lives up to that macho tag and exudes a flamboyant charm in the movie, albeit with a lesser impact than his blockbuster hit Pokkiri, directed by Puri Jagannadh.

The story unfurls thus. Shankar Narayana (Prakash Raj), whose heart always beats for the poor, falls into the trap of a politico-underworld nexus. After a near-fatal attack on Shankar, his family shifts to the badlands of Mumbai. His son Ajay (Mahesh Babu), of course, is destined to grow up as a cop who doesn’t know the meaning of fear. Mumbai being the ideal landscape for daredevilry, director Sreenu Vaitla unleashes Ajay to crush many gangsters with awesome power and ruthless indifference. His heroics get rewarded in the form of a gigantic task. With such a cop in its ranks, who else but Ajay could be entrusted with the task of fixing underworld’s most dreaded and elusive face – Nayak (Sonu Sood). Now, the cop dons the mask of an MLA to gain access to Naik’s web of deceit and debauchery. The daredevil then plots the imminent fall of the dreaded Naik gang.

Mahesh Babu needs to make little effort to be his usual macho, stylish self. Samantha is just another chirpy character with a pretty face, as is expected. It is heartening to see Prakash Raj in a positive role and the actor can switch mannerisms with immaculate ease. Sonu Sood makes his presence felt. Brahmanandam turns into a laughter machine as Vaitla’s penchant for comedy comes to the fore.

Dookudu’s main flaw is that it fails to keep up with the tremendous pace it generates in the first half. That is a turn off, but through late twists and thrills, the movie bounces back into the genre of a sheer entertainer. Adithya, Abhimanyu Singh, Vennela Kishore and Nassar are the other actors. Dookudu’s story is by Gopi Mohan, but Kona Venkat’s dialogues prove to be the differentiators. KV Guhan is behind the camera. Thaman scores the music.

Dookudu has all the elements of a potboiler – the unholy nexus between underworld and politicos, passionate romance, shrill revenge and the glory of father-son relationship. The movie is almost certain to make a box office splash, but if fans are expecting the lofty fizz of Pokkiri, perhaps there is some disappointment in store.